Prayer

 

Maqrur got up trembling from his sleep. The door of the hut was open so he went to close it.

 

Unexpectedly, he found a yellow dog with brownish eyes lying down at the entrance of the hut. When the dog saw Maqrur, it wagged its tail.

 

Maqrur said to himself, "Glory be to Allah. This is a guest that Allah has sent me." He looked around him and searched everywhere in the hut but there was nothing except a vessel that contained some milk.

 

Maqrur put the vessel in front of the dog. The dog looked at him with thankful eyes, and wagged its tail then started to lap up the milk. Maqrur left the dog to complete its meal and entered the hut. He washed his face, hands and legs, and he started to perform his prayers in humility.

 

He invoked Allah, "O Allah! Forgive me for my negligence in worshipping you, forgive me for my-lack of benevolence to people, forgive me for my sins in old times and have mercy upon me on the Day of Judgment."

 

Maqrur's soul was exalted and purified, tears poured down his cheeks and they left their marks upon his face.

 

Maqrur smelt something very strange. Something that he was not used to. It was like sweet basil, but it was not the same as the one known on the earth. He felt that he was not alone in the hut.

Maqrur felt as if there was a strange being with him and since he was praying he was unable to turn around and look.

 

A certain feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed him. He started to recall his previous sins when he was a highway robber. He remembered how he had sincerely repented after he had met the noble Prophet during his journey to the East.

 

Maqrur said to himself, "Who knows? Maybe Allah has not accepted my repentance, if so, then I am damned and doomed to perdition. "

 

He shed tears and prostrated himself before his Lord. The dog raised its head, wagged its tail and listened to his cries.

 

At that moment, the chief of the night watchmen as well as the Spymaster arrived with a band of soldiers. Through the opened door of the hut they stood watching Maqrur while he was crying and prostrating before Allah, the Almighty.